Seamless stocking and method oe making same



SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Fil ed Oct. SY 1922 2Sheets-5heet 1 Big. 6.

lwvewior: Rzyzus 500 37 April 22, 1924. 1,491,755

R. W. SCOTT SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 6,1922 2 Sheets-Sheei Z Invenbr Rufus W500 i743.

Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

RUFUS W. SCOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T HEMPHILL COMPANY, OFGEIN- TRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed Detober 6, 192-2.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RUFUS V. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented an Improvement in Seamless Stockings andMethods of Making Same, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings rep-- resenting like parts.

This invention relates to seamless stockings and to the method of makingthe same. In order that the principle of the invention may be readilyunderstood, I have disclosed a single embodiment of the stocking of myinvention in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a sideelevation of a seamless stocking embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an outside rear view of a portion of the said stocking;

Fig. 3 is a similar but inside view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged and somewhat (i121: grammatic detail showing themanner of forming a part of the back of a stocking;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged and somewhat diagrainmatic detail showing amod1fied form of stripe and mock seam; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vlew of still another modified form of mockseam.

The stocking of my invention is a so-called circular or seamlessstocking knitted upon a circular machine having means for forming theheel and toe pockets, such as narrowing and widening pickers. While anysuitable mechanism may be employed in the production of the stocking,the machine should be equipped with means for introducing the mainknitting yarn, and for introducing a reinforcing yarn or yarns at thedesired point or points, and desirably with means for changing thestitch length as the kniting progresses.

My invention pertains more particularly to a structural variation in theknitting of the stocking in combination with a two part stripe, whichfeatures are so coordinated as to simulate certain full fashionedstockii'igs, notably those wherein the selvaged edges of the leg portionare reinforced.

While the principle of my invention involving the co-ordination of astructural va riation in the character of the knitting so as to form amock seam during the knitting op- Serial N0. 592,676.

eration, and the adjacent two part stripe produced by an auxiliary orreinfor ing thread, may be applied at any desired partof the stocking orother fabric, it is obvious that the simulation referred to can be bestachieved by forming the same at the back of the leg of the stocking, andaccordingly such embodiment of the invention is herein disclosed andwill be sufficiently described without limiting the invention strictlythereto. The structural variation to produce a mock seam during theformation of the stocking is desirably a tuck stitch formation, thoughother structural stitch changes may be employed, such, for example, asdraw stitches. I preferably employ tuck stitches and in order toemphasize the effect thereof, I desirably form two vertical rows of tuckstitches which may be separated by 'a single line of regular stitches,as hereinafter more fully disclosed.

The stripe which preferably extends upon both sides of the line of tuckstitches so as to form a two-part stripe is desirably formed byintroducing an auxiliary or so called reinforcing thread in any knownmanner, beginning at or near the upper end of the stocking and for anysuitable width, as, for example, from six to ten wales upon each side ofthe line or lines of tuck stitches, but desirably without incorporationinto the tuck stitches themselves. This latter result I best accomplishby floating the auxiliary yarn from the inner edge of one portion of thetwo part stripe across or past the tuck stitches and then incorporatingthem into the knitted fabric at the other side of the tuck stitches inthe same course, the auxiliary thread being floated from the outer edgeof one part of the two part stripe to the outer edge of the other partof said two part stripe. Thus, the auxiliary or reinforcing threadpasses or extends across the tuck stitches at the inside or rearthereof, and the effect of a single unbroken stripe is substantiallypreserved and at the same time said stripe is structurally distinct fromthe mock seam of tuck stitches.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the stocking is indicatedgenerally at 1, it having desirably a seamless heel 2 and so-calledseamless toe 3, a high splice t of any suitable shape being provided inthe knitting operation by introducing a reinforcing yarn, which may bethe same yarn as that employed for knitting the longitudinal two partstripe, or a' substitute yarn.

The stocking may be knitted from any suitable material, as, for example,silk, and beginning at or near the upper end of the stocking, as, forexample, at the bottom of the so-called welt portion, I introduce anauxiliary yarn which may be fed to the needles in any well known manner,as, for example, by a special yarn finger at some point where theneedles are divided by a special cam, so that the needles which are notto take the auxiliary yarn are either elevated or depressed, and theauxiliary yarn is delivered to the other needles which may be of anydesired number, as, for example, from six to ten at each side of theback median line of the stocking.

In Fig. l, I have represented the main yarn at 5 and the auxiliary yarnat 6, and for convenience of illustration merely have represented thetwo yarns as incorporated into the knitting for three wales only at eachside of the median back line of the stocking. The knitted loopswhereinto the auxiliary yarn 6 is introduced are desirably plain loopssuch as are formed in regular knitting, but at the back median line ofthe stocking I form during the knitting opera tion a mock seam by somesuitable structural variation in the fabric, such, for example, as twolines or wales of tuck stitches indicated at 7 8, between which is aline of plain stitches 9. My invention is not limited to the employmentof a plurality of lines or wales of tuck stitches, as in certain cases asingle line or wale may be sufficient and the structural variation maybeof any other suitable character that will constitute ,a mock seam, as,for example, draw stitches. I may in some cases form the mockseam byintroducing during the knitting still another thread in any well knownmanner so as desirably to give a zigzag appearance, but I prefer toemploy a tuck stitch formation for the purpose stated.

Viewing Fig. 4:, it willbe observed that the auxiliary thread .is notincorporated into the tuck stitches, but is floated across the same, asindicated at 10,-at the inside or back of the fabric, the said auxiliarythread being reintroduced to the needles at the opposite side of theline or lines of tuck stitches so as to provide what may be termed a twopart longitudinal splice of suitable width, indicated at 11 in Figs. 2and 3.

Desirably at one outer edge of the two part stripe 11, the auxiliaryyarn is floated back to the opposite outer edge as indicated at 12 inFig. 4, so that the floated portions of the auxiliary yarn lie againstthe inside of the fabric and being of short length with relation to theentire circumferenceof the stocking, they are not removed, but, be-

ing permitted to remain, they enhance or consolidate the stripeappearance and give a backing to the line or lines of tuck stitches orother structural variation constituting the mock seam.

It will be evident that the line or double line of tuck stitchessimulates the actual seam at the back of the leg of a full fashionedstocking, and that the two part stripe, the floated portions of whichextend at the inside of the stocking across the line or lines of tuckstitches, simulates the reinforced selvage edges characteristic of manyfull fashioned stocking legs.

Where the structural variations which simulate the mock seam arecomposed of two rows of tuck stitches or other distinguishing loops itis obvious that these two rows of stitches need not be separated by arow or rows of regular loops as shown in Fig. i but they may be placedclose together in the manner indicated in Fig. 5 wherein the two rows oftuck stitches are shown at 7 and 8, the floating strands at 10, theregular and auxiliary yarns 5 and 6 remaining substantially as in Fig.1.

Furthermore I wish it to be understood that, within the scope andpurpose of the invention, oneof said rows of tuck stitches may beomitted and a single row of tuck or other distinguishing stitches beemployed to simulate the mock seam which separates the two parts of thestripe and in Fig. 6 I have shown an example of this form wherein 13 and14: represent the two parts of the stripe at the back of the stockingand 15 represents a single row of tuck stitches separating said stripes13 and 14.

If, as is preferable, the stocking be knitted of silk, and thereinforcing yarn be of cotton, the stitches forming the structuralvariations between the two parts of the stripe are knitted wholly ofsilk yarn and not of silk and cotton yarns, as the reinforcing yarn doesnot enter into the formation of the mock seam. The silk yarn presents apleasing contrast to the silk and cotton yarns of the adjacentreinforced stripes or two part stripe and removes the objectionresulting from the use of both silk and cotton yarns, namely that thecotton yarn tends to work to the face of the fabric and thus partiallyor wholly obscure the silk yarn. Within the scope of my invention,however, any other suitable kinds of yarn may be employed. Furthermorefrom experience it has been found that such silk yarn take-s dye muchbetter than yarns of silk and cotton. It is, however, to be under stoodthat the invention is not limited to the character of the yarn referredto.

While I have referred to. a two part stripe, it will be observed thatthe stocking of my invention is in substance provided with two narrowstripes which are respectively at each side of the mock seam, said twostripes being structurally separate and distinct excepting that thefloating yarns extend from one stripe to the other. Such floating yarns,however, do not enter into the structure of the mock seam and are notemployed to strengthen the same or to reinforce the fabric at the mockseam.

Obviously my invention may be en'iployed at any suitable part of thestocking or other fabric and may extend throu h any suitable partthereof. For example, it may extend fromthe top of the heel a part wayonly toward the top of the stocking as for example, through the highsplice.

Inasmuch as the floating threads are not sewed down between the twoparts of the composite stripe, and are not otherwise secured to thefabric between the said two parts, the transverse elasticity of theknitted portion of the fabric between said two parts is in no wayimpaired and the float threads occupy such a relatively small part ofthe circumference of the stocking or other fabric, that they do notimpair its transverse elasticity. By employing a mock seam of tuckstitches, or other structural variation I do not impair the longitudinalelasticity of the stocking as in the case where a mock seam of sewingmachine stitches is employed.

It is clearly to be understood that my invention may be incorporated inknitted fabrics other than stockings and hose.

1 do not herein disclose the subject matter disclosed and claimed in myco-pending application Serial Number 594,524, filed October 24,1922namely, a seamless stocking having a high splice itself composed oftwo very narrow stripes with a mock seam between said stripes andextending longitudinally thereof.

Having thus described certain specific em bodimentsi of my invention andthe best modes known to me for producing the same I desire it to beunderstood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in ageneric and descriptive sense and not for the purpose of limitation, thescope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

Claims:

1. A so-called seamless stocking having at the back of the leg alongitudinally extending line .of tuck stitches constituting a mock seamand a stripe substantially paralleling said line of tuck stitches ateach side thereof and composed of that portion of the main yarn and anauxiliary yarn knitted in at each side of the line of tuck stitches butfloated across the same at the inside of the stocking, thereby producinga simulation of the seamed reinforced sclvage of a full fashionedstocking.

2. A so-called seamless stocking having at the back of the leg alongitudinally extending duplex line of tuck stitches constituting amock seam and at each side there of and in close proximity thereto astripe constituting together a two part stripe and composed of thatportion of the main yarn and an auxiliary yarn knitted in with the mainyarn at each side of the lines of tuck stitches but floated across saidtuck stitches at the inside of the stocking from both the inner and theouter edges respectively of the two part stripe,-thereby producing asimulation of the seamed reinforced selvage of a full-fashionedstocking.

3. That method of knitting a so called seamless stocking including a legportion having a simulated seamed reinforced selvage, including knittinga mock sam coincidently with the knitting of the leg portion, andcoincidently introducing an auxiliary yarn at both sides of said mockseam throughout areas substantially paralleling said mock seam andfloating the auxiliary yarn past said mock seam.

4. That method of knitting a so-called seamless stocking including a legportion having a simulated seamed reinforced selvage, including knittinga mock seam at the back of the leg of a stocking coincidently with theknitting of the leg, and introducing an auxiliary yarn at both sides ofsaid mock seam from substantially the upper end of the stocking to theheel portion throughout a width corr sponding to the reinforced selvagedparts of a full fashioned stocking leg and floating the auxiliary yarnin each course past the mock seam.

5. That method of knitting a socalled seamless stocking including a legportion having a simulated, seamed-reinforced sel vage, includingknitting the leg portion with a line of tuck stitches down the back ofthe leg and during the knitting introducing an auxiliary thread with themain thread at each side of the line of tuck stitches from substantiallythe upper end of the stocking to the heel portion throughout arelatively narrow area to correspond to the reinforced selvaged portionsof a full fashioned stocking leg and floating the auxiliary thread backand forth in each course past the tuck stitch of that course at theinside of the stocking leg.

6. A knitted fabric having a main thread of which the main portion ofsaid fabric is knitted; a reinforcing thread of different character fromthe main thread and interknitted with the said main thread to form apair of adjacent but spaced reinforced areas connected by floatedportions of said reinforcing thread, the knitted portions of said fabricbetween said reinforced areas containing a structural variation of theknitted fabric of the main thread, said structural variation beingcomposed of the said main thread, whereby said structural variation ismade more pronounced, with respect to the said adjacent reinforcsdareas.

7. A knitted fabric having a main thread of which the main portion ofsaid fabric is knitted; a reinforcing thread of different character fromthe main thread and interknitted with the said main thread to form apair of adjacent but spaced reinforced areas connected by floatedportions of said reinforcing thread, the knitted portion of said fabricbetween said reinforced areas containing a line of tuck stitchescomposed of the said main yarn, whereby said line of tuck stitches ismade more pronounced, with repect to the said adjacent reinforced areas.

8. A knitted fabric having a main thread of which the main portion ofsaid fabric is knitted; a reinforcing thread of different character fromthe main thread and interknitted with the said main thread to form apair of adjacent but spaced reinforced areas connected by floatedportions of said reinforcing thread, the knitted portion of said fabricbetween said reinforced areas containinga line. of tuck stitchescomposed of said main yarn, said line of tuck stitches contrasting inmaterial and structural variation with the said adjacent reinforcedareas.

9. A. knitted fabric having a main silk thread of which the main portionof said fabric is knitted; a reinforcing non-silk thread interknittedwith said main silk thread to form a pair of adjacent but spacedreinforced areas connected by floated portions of said non-silk yarn,the knitted portion of said fabric between said reinforced areascontaining a structural variation of the knitted fabric of said mainportion, said structural variation being composed of said silk yarn,whereby said structural variation contrasts with the adjacent reinforcedareas.

10. A seamless knitted stocking having two narrow reinforced stripes atthe back thereof and respectively at the sides of the back median line,said stocking being composed of the main thread and the reinforcedstripes being composed of said main yarn and yarn of different characterfrom the main yarn but interknitted with said main yarn throughout saidstripes, said stripes being slightly spaced apart but connected byfloated portions of yarn and the knitted portion of the stocking betweensaid stripes being composed wholly of said main yarn and thereforedifferentiated in character from the combined knitted materials of thesaid stripes.

11. A seamless: knitted stocking composed of a main yarn and having tworelatively narrow slightly spaced reinforced stripes at the backconnected by floated portions of the reinforced yarn extendingsubstantially from the heel to the stocking top and composed of a mainyarn and a knitted in reinforcing yarn of different character, theknitted portion of the stocking between said reinforced areas beingcomposed wholly of said main yarn but containing a structural variationof the knitted fabric of the main portion, whereby said structuralvariation, being composed of said main yarn, is rendered more pronouncedwith respect to the adjacent reinforced areas.

12. A knitted fabric composed of a main yarn and having two reinforcedadjacent areas composed of the main yarn and a reinforcing yarninterknitted therewith, the reinforcing yarn being floated free andunattached between said reinforced areas and connecting them, wherebythe transverse elasticity of the knitted portion of the fabric betweensaid adjacent areas is unimpaired, there being a line of structuralknitted stitch variation of the main thread between said adjacent areas.

13. A knitted fabric composed of a main yarn and hawing two reinforcedadjacent areas into which a reinforcing thread is intcrknitted, thereinforcing thread being floated free and unattached between said areasand connecting them at their inner or adjacent edges and also at theirouter or more remote edges, whereby the trans erse elasticity of theknitted portion of the fabric between said adjacent areas is unimpaired,there being a line of structural knitted stitch variation of the mainthread between said adjacent areas.

14. A knitted fabric having a main yarn of which the main portion of thefabric is knitted and two reinforced adjacent areas into which areinforcing yarn is also interknitted, said reinforcing yarn beingfloated free and unattached between said areas and connecting them,whereby the transverse elasticity of the knitted portion of the fabricbetween said adjacent areas is unimpaired, the fabric between saidreinforced areas containing a longitudinal structural variation, wherebythe lengthwise elasticity of the fabric is unimpaired.

In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name to this specification.

RUFUS W. SCOTT.

